    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
    [December 2, 2004]
    [Pages 3036-3037]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Lighting the National Christmas Tree
    December 2, 2004

        Thank you all very much. Tonight we begin a joyous season, and the
    city of Washington is never more beautiful than during the holidays. At
    Christmastime, we celebrate good tidings first announced 2,000 years ago
    and still a source of great joy in our world. Laura and I are always happy to join in the Pageant of Peace,
    and we thank you all for coming this evening.
        I thank our special guests. I want to thank Santa for such good
    weather. [Laughter] I appreciate Peter,
    the chairman of the Pageant of Peace, and his wife, Nancy. I want to thank John Betchkal, the president of the Christmas Pageant of Peace. I want
    to thank the members of the board of the Christmas Pageant of Peace for
    your hard work in putting on this joyous festival. I want to thank
    Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton. I want
    to thank other members of my Cabinet who are here tonight. I appreciate
    the Members of Congress who are here.
        I want to thank Fran Mainella, who
    is the Director of the Parks Service, and all the National Parks Service
    employees. I thank Dr. Schuller and all
    the entertainers. Thanks so very much for being here tonight.
        The season of Advent is always the season of hope. We think of the
    patient hope of men and women across the centuries who listened to the
    words of the prophets and lived in joyful expectation. We think of the
    hope of Mary, who welcomed God's plan with great faith. We think of the
    hope of the wise men who set out on a long journey guided only by a
    slender promise

    [[Page 3037]]

    traced in the stars. We are reminded of the hope that the grandest
    purposes of the Almighty can be found in the humblest places. And we
    embrace the hope that all the love and gifts that come to us in this
    life are the signs and symbols of even a greater love and gift that came
    on a holy night. The old carol speaks of a ``thrill of hope, the weary
    world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.'' And every
    year at this time we feel the thrill of hope as we wait on Christmas
    Day.
        This Christmas, as loved ones come together, some in our military
    are separated from family by the call of duty a long way from home. We
    have service men and women celebrating the holidays at bases from Europe
    to East Asia and on many fronts in the war on terror. Especially for
    those deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq, the work is dangerous and the
    mission is urgent. American service men and women are bringing freedom
    to many and peace to future generations. Their sacrifices defend us all,
    and all Americans are grateful to them and to our military families.
        Across our country, citizens are supporting our people in uniform
    with their prayers and many acts of kindness. Often the effort is led by
    children. In Chantilly, Virginia, Brownie Troop 5179, who are here
    tonight, by the way, collected donations of candy and sun screen, bug
    spray, and handmade cards to send to our soldiers overseas. They
    gathered more than 200 pounds of gifts and made sure the packages
    arrived on time for the holidays. I'm sure those thoughtful gifts were
    gladly received.
        And I thank the Brownies for reminding the good people of our
    military how much they mean to America. And to show our appreciation to
    the Brownies of Chantilly, Virginia, and all those who volunteer in our
    blessed land, we have two representatives of the Troop to help
    Laura and me light our national Christmas tree.
        And so, if Nichole and Clara will come forward, we will turn on the lights. Are you
    ready? Now will you join me in the countdown? Five, four, three, two,
    one.

    Note: The President spoke at 5:56 p.m. on the Ellipse during the annual
    Christmas Pageant of Peace. In his remarks, he referred to John
    Betchkal, president, Christmas Pageant of Peace; Peter Nostrand,
    chairman, Christmas Pageant of Peace, and his wife, Nancy; Robert H.
    Schuller, minister, Reformed Church in America; and Nichole Mastracchio
    and Clara Pitts, members, Brownie Troop 5179, Chantilly, VA.